Valve construction



Jan. 7', 1941. M -j GROVE 2,227,542

VALVE CONSTRUCTION w Filed 901;. 4,- 19:59 2 She'ts-Sheet 1 I I NVENTOR Mar wn hf fira re -ATTORNEY Jan. 7, 1941. M, GROVE 2,227,542

VALVE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 4, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'INVIENTOR Mar /r7 H 6/0 we ATTORNEY iii UNITED .S TATES I PATENT OFFICE Marvin H. Grove, Berkeley, Calif. Application October 4, 1939, Serial No. 297,857

3 Claims. (01. 251-155) This invention relates generally to the construction of valves for controlling flowoi. fluid.

It is a primary objectof the invention to provide an improved type of valve body formed 01 metal parts fabricated by welding, as distinguishedfrom conventional cast or forged metal bodies.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved manner of providing a bridge within a valve body, whereby a convenient. exterior weld retains the bridge in place.

Additional objects of the invention will appearfrom the following description in which the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the g accompanying drawings.

Elli

I which this body is constructed consist of the Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a slde'eleva'tlonal view in cross section constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a view similar to, Figure. 1 but showing a modification 01 construction.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a further modification.

The valve constructionillustrated in Figure 1 5 ,makes use of a fabric'ated body l0 having inflow "arid outflow passages I l and II. The parts irom times to facilitate making sealedconnctionwith inflow and discharge piping. Where flanged coue plersare not desired, it is apparent thatother types of coupling members can be.,used, as for example, members adapted to make threaded connection with pipes.

The bridge" is generally in the form of a tube having itsinner end closed and fitted withinthe end portion lib. One wall portion II otthe bridge is flattened and-machined receive the seat ring '3 8. r

The portions described above are all secured together by suitable weld connections.

weld l9 connects coupler M with the endportion 13a, while weld connection connects the end portion lib with the other coupler-Ii, and also preferably with thebridge l6. It will be evident Thus, a

33 serves to urge the valve member 22 towards that the parts must be retained 'in suitable alignment, at the time these weld connections are made.

In a typical instance the body described above is, utilized in conjunction with a valve member 5 moving between open and closed positions with respect to the seat ring l8, and is operated as by. applied fluid forces, through an operating diaphragm, or manually. Thus, as representative oi a complete valve construction, I have shown a valve member 22 cooperating with the seat ring l8 and having astem 23 guided within the bushing 24. This bushing is in turn carried by sleeve 26, the lower end of which engages the seat ringlfl. The sleeve 26 is accommo- 15 dated within a flanged nipple 21, which is D sitioned within an opening 28 in the upper side of the valve body, and secured in such position by the weld connection 29. A closure plate 3| is" removably attached to the outer end of nipple 21, and interposed between this plate and the upper end of sleeve 26 are the Bellville springs 32. These springs exert suflicient force to adequately hold'down the seat I8 upon the bridge, while at the same time permitting the sleeve 26 to take a position to properly align the valve 22 with respect to its seat, as determined by the machining of the seat ring and the machin- I ing of the bridge wall ll. A compressionspring its seat.

Extending through the opposite or lower'side of the valve body there is a tube 34, the upper end of which extends through an opening 36 in the lower side of .the bridge IE. Weld connections 31 and 38 serve to attach this tube to the adjacent walls of the body, and to the bridge.

A slidable actuating rod 39 is shown extendingthrough tube 34 with the upper end of this rod engaging the valve member 22. Bushing H is shown as guide means for the rod, and a conical deflector 42 is shown carried by the rod to prevent fluid fromflowing down through the clearance between the rod and the bushing 4|. Suitable means canbe employed to prevent leak- 45 age through the nipple 34 and about the rod 39, as for example a conventional stufling gland ore. diaphragm. The outer end of the rod can be connected to suitable operating means, for

manual, automatic or remote control operation.

Aside Iromproviding access in o the body, tube ".serves to eflectivelystiflenandreinforce the assembly. Its rigid attachment by weld connections to both the body and bridge tube I1 enables the bridge to withstand the downward 5,

thrust required .to hold seat ring l8 in place, without displacement or deflection of the bridge with respect to the body.

It will be apparent that the valve construction described above has certain inherent advantages. They can be manufactured without resort to expensive patterns or dies for forming a bridge integral with the remainder of the body, by forging or casting operations. Such patterns or dies may involve a large capital investment, particularly when it is necessary to manufacture valves in a large number of sizes. My fabricated construction does not make use of unnecessary excessive metal such as merely increases the weight of the valve without inherently increasing the strength. Therefore, for this reason and also because my valve can be made of strong materials such as suitable steel or alloys, my valve body for a given size of valve and for a given pressure, is considerably lighter in weight than valve bodies of conventional construction. Fabrication of the parts described above offers no serious difficulties, and can be carried out with a reasonable degree of accuracy. Virtually all of the machining operations necessary, including the machining ofthe couplings l4, l5, and the nipples 21 and 34, can be carried out before the body is fabricated. One can carry out the machining operations upon the bridge wall IT, to provide a proper seal with respect to the seat ring l8, after the parts of the body have been assembled and welded together, by tools applied through the nipple 2|.-

In the present instance I have illustrated and described a single acting valve in conjunction with the bridge l6. As is well known to those skilled in the art, such a bridge can also be utilized with a so-called double or balanced valve construction.

Figure 2 illustrates a modified type of construction which also makes use of a fabricated body. Thus, in this instance the intermediate part 46 is swaged eccentrically to provide the end portions 46a and 46b of reduced diameter. The

bridge tube 41 is curved so that its inner end 48 faces upwardly, where it is provided with a seat ring 49. The weld connection serves to connect the reduced end portion 46b with the bridge tube, while,anot her weld connection 52 makes oonnection'between tube and the flanged coupling 53. The other flanged coupling 54 connects to the reduced end portion 46a, by the weld connection 56. The nipple 21 extends into the upper side of the body and is secured to the main portion of the body by the weld connection 51. The valve member 22 cooperates with the seat ring 49, and is associated with other parts substantially as in Figure 1. A tube 58 extends through'the lower side of the body and is secured to both the wall of the body and to the bridge tube 41, by the weld connections 59 and 6 l. The actuating rod 39 extends through tube 58 and engages the lower end of the valve member 22.

Figure 3 illustrates a modification of Figure 2 in which the intermediate portion of the valve body is formed of two parts 62, formed of tube sections swaged to form the reduced end portions 62a and 62b. These two parts are connected together by means of the weld connection 63, thereby forming in effect a body. substantially the same as Figure 2.

I claim:

1. In a valve body construction, a tubular member the ends of which form inlet and outlet passages, a tubular bridge extending through one end of said tubular member, and a third metal tube extending through one side of the body, the third tube having 'weld connections to both the first tube and to the inner end portion of the tubular bridge and serving to provide access into the bridge and to brace the bridge with respect to the'first named tube.

2. In a valve construction, a main tubular body portion having ends forming inlet and outlet passages, a tubular bridge extending through one end of said main body portion, theinner end of said tubular bridge having one side of the same formed to provide a valve seat, and a third metal tube extending through one side of the body portion and in substantial alinement with said seat, said third tube having weld connections to the body portion and also to the inner end of the tubular bridge upon that side of the tubular bridge opposite from the valve .seat, the third tube serving to provide a passage for access'into the bridge and also serving to brace the bridge with respect to the body portion.

3. In a valve body construction, a swaged metal tube, the ends of which form inlet and outlet passages, one of the ends being of reduced diameter, a tubular bridge extending through said one end of the first named tube, the inner end of the tubular bridge on one side of the same being formed to provide a valve seat, a third metal tube substantially alined with respect to the valve seat and extending through one side wall of the body. the third tube having weld connections to both the first tube and to the inner end portion of the tubular bridge on that side of the tubular bridge diametrically opposite from the valve seat, said third tube serving to provide a passage for access into the bridge and also serving to brace the bridge with respect to the first tube.

MARVIN H. GROVE. 

